Top car manufacturers of the world and major suppliers in the EU and Germany

The manufacturer designs and assembles the car. First-tier suppliers manufacture and supply main components (e.g. the fuel pump), while second-tier suppliers produce simpler individual components (e.g. the housing of a fuel pump). Third and fourth-tier suppliers provide raw materials. The European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) is the overall EU representative organisation of these suppliers. The largest of these are mainly American, Japanese or European.
An estimated 3 000 companies, of which 2 500 are small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are independent suppliers to car manufacturers. They range significantly in size and for some the automotive side of their business is not the most important. Many work for more than one automotive client, indeed first-tier suppliers hardly ever deliver their products to only one manufacturer.